The invention relates to a transporting device for transporting food products to be subjected to a processing, comprising at least one advancing element for advancing carriers for the food products for processing fixed to the advancing element along a route extending through a processing space.
Such transporting devices are generally known. The advancing element herein provides not only the forward movement of the carriers but also guiding of the carriers. This entails an additional mechanical load on the advancing element, for instance due to a bending moment, whereby it is more susceptible to wear. High demands are therefore made of the advancing element, whereby the possible choices of material from which the advancing element is manufactured, the type of advancing element and the dimensioning of the advancing element are limited. Such limitations often conflict with other requirements set for such devices, for instance in respect of hygiene and corrosion resistance. The invention now has for its object to provide a solution to the above stated drawbacks.
This object is achieved by such a transporting device which is provided with guide means for guiding the carriers along at least a part of the route.
As a result of these measures the advancing element will be less heavily loaded, whereby it is possible to give the advancing element a light form and to make use for instance of stainless steel and/or lubrication-free chains instead of steel and/or lubricated chains. A greater structural freedom moreover results from the separation of functions.
According to a first preferred embodiment the advancing element is endless and the route is closed. It will be apparent that herewith a continuous movement can be realized with all the resulting advantages.
In some situations it is attractive to give the route a linear form. The advancing element is then adapted to transport the carriers alternatingly in opposing directions. This results therefore in discontinuous use.
According to another preferred embodiment the guide means are adapted to take the weight of the carriers.
The forces exerted on the advancing element are hereby further decreased.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the transport apparatus comprises secondary guide means for only guiding the advancing element.
This avoids lifting of the advancing element or a less favorable positioning of the carriers, in particular with co-operation between the guide means for the carriers, and the secondary guide means for the advancing element.
According to yet another embodiment the carriers are mounted rotatably on the advancing element. This provides the option of effecting regular changes in the position of the carriers in order to prevent burning phenomena in food products.
This is preferably achieved by adapting the guide means to determine the rotation position of each of the carriers subject to the position of the carrier.
This provides the option of determining the rotation position of the carriers subject to their position, thus enabling a constant process flow.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the route extends through at least a second processing space and the first and second processing spaces are connected by a tunnel, the length of which is at least as large as the maximum distance between the carriers in the direction of movement. According to this preferred embodiment the dimension of the tunnel in a plane transversely of the direction of movement is less than 1.5 times the dimension of the carriers, including possible products present on the carrier, in this direction.
This results in a good separation between the first and second processing spaces. This is important when different substances are being used in the first and second processing spaces and differing atmospheres prevail therein.
According to a structural embodiment the advancing element comprises at least one spring belt.
The use of a spring belt results in an attractive embodiment in respect of food products, since a spring belt requires no lubricants.
According to another embodiment the advancing means comprise at least one chain provided with hollow links, wherein each of the carriers is provided with a protruding part extending into a hollow link.
These measures result in free rotation of the carriers relative to the advancing means. The position of the carriers can herein be controlled independently of the advancing means.
According to yet another structural embodiment the carriers each comprise wire mesh on their underside and their sides extending transversely of the direction of movement.
The use of wire mesh, which is understood to mean a structure which is for a relatively greater part open whereby the carrier acquires the configuration of a basket, provides the option that the food product for processing present in the basket is easily approachable from as many sides as possible, for instance by liquids, vapours or gases, in the processing spaces. The good accessibility results in a shorter residence time in the relevant spaces and thus in a higher production speed. Another advantage of the use of a basket is that, particularly in the case of vulnerable food products, they are supported over a large part of their surface.
According to a preferred embodiment the sides extending parallel to the direction of movement comprise at least substantially closed walls.
This leads to a sturdy construction of the carrier with good potential for fixing to the advancing element.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the carriers are provided on their sides with guide elements for guiding of the carrier into a determined position by the guide supports. The guide elements can for instance be formed by guide edges arranged on the outside of the carriers.
As a consequence of this measure it is possible for the rotation position of the carrier to be determined subject to its position along the route. This provides the option for instance of allowing the carrier to variously assume different rotation positions during processing so that, depending thereon, different parts of the product present in the carrier are exposed to the processing devices.
According to another preferred embodiment the guide supports are displaceable for changing the position of the carriers.
The positions of the carrier can herewith be optimized, depending for instance on the process and/or the product.
The invention also relates to a carrier suitable for use in a transporting device as described above.
Use is preferably made for this purpose of a carrier comprising wire mesh arranged on its sides extending transversely of the direction of movement, herein the carrier is provided with guide elements. A guide edge represents a simple embodiment of such a guide element.
The use of wire mesh results in the forming of a basket with a high degree of access. It is important herein that the wire mesh be manufactured with a passage ratio greater than 65%.
The invention also relates to a carrier for food products, for instance as according to claims 17-19, comprising wire mesh for supporting the food products. In such carriers applied heretofore the accessibility of the product is limited by the contact surfaces existing between the wire mesh and the product. This can manifest itself in markings occurring on the product at that position. Such marking phenomena are now limited by making use of woven wire mesh. This advantage is not limited to a carrier as according to any of the claims 17-19.
The wire mesh is preferably manufactured from a material with a thermal conduction coefficient of a maximum of 0.25 W Kxe2x88x921 mxe2x88x921.
This latter embodiment is particularly important when the processing devices subject the food product for processing, and thereby also the carrier, to a temperature treatment. If this has to act for only a short time duration, it is possible that the basket will heat up quickly and, during the subsequent process taking place at a different temperature, the product is still exposed to the previous temperature, which will result in a decrease in quality.
Plastic mesh, for instance polyester mesh, can usually be applied advantageously.
An attractive embodiment is obtained when the wire mesh is received in containers on its edges extending transversely of the direction of movement. This results in an attractive construction because sharp edges of the wire mesh are avoided and damage to the products is thus unlikely.
In preference the containers are releasably connected to the guide elements. This provides the option, in the case of possible defects such as wear, of rapid replacement of the guide elements which, as a consequence of their guide function, are susceptible to wear.
It will also be apparent that with the use of plastic walls in the carrier an attractive and inexpensive embodiment can be obtained.
The invention further relates to a guide element suitable for use with a carrier as according to claim 24.
The invention also relates to a composite transporting apparatus comprising at least two transporting devices for food products for processing, for instance as elucidated above, wherein the transporting devices are coupled by a collective transfer device.
Such a situation is applicable for instance when the products must be exposed to an aggressive environment. The processing device in which this aggressive environment prevails is therefore provided with a separate transporting device. Coupling of both transporting devices avoids the whole transporting apparatus being subjected to the aggressive environment.
Such a transfer device is preferably formed by a route of both transporting devices which extends partly parallel, wherein the guide means in the parallel routes are adapted to determine the position of the carriers so that the content of the carrier of the first transporting device is moved to a carrier of the second transporting device.
It will also be apparent that the movements of both transporting devices must herein be synchronized.
The route of both transporting devices preferably extends such that the content of the carrier is moved from the first transporting device to the second transporting device.
When the guide means are adapted to determine the rotation position of the carriers of the first transporting device and the second transporting device on the basis of the angle of arc, a gradual change of angle is obtained so that the products can be displaced from the one carrier to the other carrier without the danger of damage.
In some situations, for instance when an interposed processing device with an aggressive atmosphere is used, it is attractive that, in addition to a first transfer device for transferring the food products from the first transporting device to the second transporting device, a second transfer device be used for transferring the food products from the second transporting device to the first transporting device.
This therefore results in almost complete isolation of the second transporting device which can be fitted for transport through the aggressive environment of the products for processing.
The invention further relates to a loading device for loading a food product fed by supply means to the loading device into a carrier of a transporting device, for instance a carrier forming part of a transporting device as according to claims 1-15 or a carrier as according to claims 16-25, comprising transfer means for displacing the food product from the supply means into the carrier.
Such a device is known from DE-A-44 10 391. This patent application describes a loading device wherein sausages from a sausage manufacturing machine are fed to buffer baskets, from which the sausages drop into baskets located thereunder through rotation of the buffer baskets on their longitudinal axis. This drop entails the risk of the food product being damaged. It is moreover not possible with this device to load the sausages selectively in carriers. The invention now has for its object to obviate these drawbacks.
For this purpose the loading device is characterized in that the transfer means comprise a slide element which is drivable by drive means along a closed route and the route comprises a part wherein a food product fed by the supply means is displaced by the slide element into the carrier. The use of a slide element provides the option of causing the loading to be accompanied by a lower mechanical load on the food product.
The possibility therefore also results of allowing the loading device to operate selectively, for instance to allow passage of reject sausages or when two or more transporting devices are placed in parallel.
Use is preferably made of a loading device wherein the slide element follows a path located in a vertical plane as it follows the route.
This provides the option, if the food products are fed from a lateral direction, of moving the slide element along above the products still to be moved into the carrier after the products for processing have been moved by the slide element into the carrier, whereby a large loading capacity can be realized.
According to yet another embodiment the route comprises a substantially horizontal part wherein the slide element shifts the food product. A simple displacement of the food product is hereby obtained without excessive forces being exerted thereon, so that the chance of damage is as small as possible.
This danger is further decreased by providing the slide element with a scoop element on its bottom edge.
The measure wherein the slide element is initially accelerated and subsequently slowed during the substantially horizontal part of the route also contributes to a small chance of damage.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the slide element is connected to a driven support by means of a connection such that during a part of the route the slide element substantially covers the container of the transporting device.
This measure ensures that in the case of a product with a slightly resilient structure, rebounding and bouncing of the product out of the carrier is avoided.
This effect is improved, when the slide element comes to a standstil during the covering.
The measure that the support is connected by means of a rod assembly to a crank drivable in rotation also results in an attractive, mechanically simple embodiment.
The loading device is preferably provided with a supply device which is formed by a conveyor belt extending transversely of the transporting direction of the transporting device.
The invention also relates to a production device for producing food products, comprising a production member with an at least partially curved configuration and transporting means which are formed for instance by supply means as stated in any of the claims 32-40 which connect onto the production member. Such production devices are encountered for instance in sausage manufacture, wherein the sausages coming from the production member are fragile and it is important that they come to lie on a conveyor belt in controlled manner after manufacture, wherein they are prevented from making a free-fall by which they could be damaged. For this purpose the production member according to the invention is characterized in that the transporting means are at least partially curved together with the production member.
This is particularly the case when the production member is formed by the crimper wheel of a sausage manufacturing apparatus.
Finally, the present invention relates to a sausage manufacturing apparatus comprising a transporting device, wherein the processing device is formed by a drying device.
The second processing device is then usually formed by a smoking device.
Preferably, the sausage manufacturing apparatus comprises a bending device for bending the sausages.
This offers the possibility to make bended sausages, for instance with the shape of a horse shoe.
To emphasize the flexibility of the production the bending device is prepared for selectively bending or not bending a passing sausage.
Preferably, the sausage bending device is preceded by a positioning device for positioning the sausages. This provides in the feature that the sausages are bended in the middle, so that the shape of the sausages becomes symmetric.
The invention also concerns a processing apparatus for subjecting products, for instance food product by the processing of a fluid, the apparatus comprising carriers movable along a path, a housing through which the path extends itself and flowing means for making fluid flow through the path, in which the path of the carriers extends according to a zigzag through the housing, and in which the partial paths of the path extends substantially horizontally.
With these features it becomes possible to enhance the effectiveness of the contact between fluid and product. It is indeed easier to make the fluids flow homogeneously in a vertical direction than in a horizontal direction. The cross-like movement of the fluid like gas and product is than used optimally, so that no unused paths of the fluid flow can develop. Further, this features offers the possibility to use in parallel flow or in counter flow; the products usexe2x80x94besides the horizontal zigzag movementxe2x80x94slowly upwards or downwards.
Preferably the apparatus comprises at least two housings, and the direction of movements, perpendicular to the plain of the partial path in adjacent housings extends in opposite directions.
This avoids extra vertical movements between the housings.
The described inventions can be applied during several processes of food products, like drying, steam cooking, cooking, cooling, after drying.
Preferably, different process conditions prevail in the housings.
This enhances the flexibility of the apparatus.
Preferabely, separation means are provided between the housings.
This feature leads to a better process control. This is also valid when two different housings are used.